Warning signal and mechanism therefor



F. E WELD El AL 2,167,964

Filed Oct. l8, l955 3 Sheets-Sheet l m w w \[1 D v I. I 2 S Lm Y R mm E 1.. B flu 6 m s W o o I N O 6 F E RY T v R T E o; M 5m A Y B Aug. 1, 1939.

WARNING SIGNAL AND MECHANISM THEREFOR g- ,1939. F. E WELD ETAL, 2 67,964

WARNING SIGNAL AND MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed Oct. 18, 1935' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS FOSTER E. WELD HARRY 5. SMITH ATTORNEY Aug. 1, 1939. F E W ET AL 2,167,964

WARNING SIGNAL AND MECHANISM THEREFOR Fild. Oct. 18, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet k INVENTORS FOSTER E. WELD I HARRY 8. SMITH Patented- Aug. 1, 1939 Smith, N

Foster'E."Weld;Newton--Bighlands, and Harry 8 eedham,

Mesa, assignors to The Gamewell Company, Newton Upper Falls, Mala,

a corporation of Mas sachusetts Application )ctober is. 1935, Serial No. 45,608

Claims. '(Cli'177-473) This invention relates to warning signals and mechanism' therefor and, more particularly though not exclusively, to pre-powered signaling mechanism and starting means therefor, opera- 5 tion of which will be initiated upon manual actuation or displacement of some part or object, for causing a warning signal such as will attract the attention of thosein the immediate vicinity. v

10 Furthermore, mechanism constructed in accordance with this invention may be advantageously employed for giving warning of unauthorized tampering with or appropriation of property; as, for example, for purposes of discouraging the steeling of automobiles, boats, etc" as well as for deterring intrusion into buildings or unauthorized opening of cash drawers, safes and the like.

More specifically, this invention relates to an mechanism for discouraging or deterring unwarranted manipulation of fire alarm signal stations or boxes; to the end that life and property may be safeguarded against the hazards which are created by so-called "false fire alarms.

Warning signals and mechanism heretofore available, for services such as those just referred to, either have failed to produce a signal of duration suflicientfor practical purposes or have embodied features intricate and complicated in character and have been found to be of insuificient reliability as well as undesirable in respects of design and bulkiness. Furthermore, such signals and mechanism have been found unsuited for convenient, expeditious and economical installation, application to-and adjustment of, in

connection with existing objects and equipment not specially designedtherefor. Such prior signals and mechanism also have, in many instances, been found to be liable to interfere with the normal utilization and actuation of the safeguarded equipment, and have been found to deter,

detain and/or discourage authorized actuation,

inspection or manipulation of such equipment.

It is, therefore, an important object to provide '45 a unitary or self-contained warning signal structure of such character that it may be readily and inexpensively applied to or associated with existing objects or equipment not specially designed for use therewith. j

Another object of this invention is to provide a warning signal easily and readily distinguishable from frequently encountered sounds and signals utilized for dissimilar purposes.

Another object is to "provide such a warning signal which, following initiation of activity thereof, will continue persistently and distinctly to give the intended signal throughout a predetermined and relatively long time.

Another object is to provide such a warning signal mechanism of such reliability as will deter 6 unauthorized manipulation of protected equipment while inviting and encouraging authorized manipulation thereof.

Another object is to provide a visually recognizable warning signal structure whereby to deter 10 unauthorized manipulation of protected equipment.

Another object is to provide warning signal and mechanism of such character as to resist tampering and/or interference endangering the reliable- 15 ness and/or effectiveness thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a warning signal and mechanism therefor which may be applied in combination with the mecha nism of a fire alarm station or box in a manner 0 as will preclude activity of the warning signal mechanism prior to activity of the fire alarm box mechanism.

A further object of this invention is to provide a warning signal and its mechanism for the ac- 25 complishment of all, of any group, or of any one of the foregoing objects, with greater effectiveness and reliability and with a smaller number of parts severally characterized by strength, durability, facility of assembly and amenable to 30 a lower cost of manufacture than prior warning signals.

Other and more specific objects and advantages will appear in the following description of an illustrative embodiment of this invention, or 3 will be apparent to those skilled in this art.

In order to facilitate comprehension of this invention, an embodiment thereof is shown in association with a conventional fire alarm signal station as a false alarm deterrent, whereby the i0 foregoing objectsrand' others ancillary thereto are accomplished as follows:

A conspicuous structure is mounted upon the fire alarm box and is secured thereto in such manner as to by obtaining access to the interior of the box or by severing rugged metallic parts.

This structure comprises a weatherproof casing which contains a spring motor, acting through a train of gears, for effecting a comparatively rapid rotation of a flywheel which carries a plurality of toothed projections on one face thereof, and which is s suppor d as to be movable axially.

A diaphragm is fixed adjacent said flywheel and carries a projecting member in such rela- 66 prevent its removal other than 45 tion thereto that said teeth may be brought into engagement with said member incidental to axial movement of said flywheel during rotation thereof, to thereby produce a signal in the well known manner.

A comparatively slow moving gear in the foregoing train has a number of projections from one of its faces. Such projections engage therounded end of a shaft upon which said flywheel is secured, to the end that, as each projection on said gear moves into engagement with said flywheel shaft, said shaft and the flywheel thereon will be so moved as to bring said teeth into engagement with the projection carried by said diaphragm.

Upon disengagement of the gear projection from the end of the flywheel shaft, the inherent tension of the diaphragm causes the flywheel and shaft to move therefrom until the flywheel teeth are disengaged from said diaphragm projection.

A driving spring for said motor has, associated with an end thereof, manual winding means and retaining means; the torque of the other end of said spring being applied for driving said gears.

A two-position brake is associated with said flywheel for normally holding said train at rest.

A flexible cable connects said brake with the starting lever of the fire alarm box guarded; said cable being so installed as to minimize opportunity for tampering with or damaging any portion thereof outside of the casing of the warning signal and that of the flre alarm box. This cable is so applied that actuation of said starting lever effective for causing an alarm to be sent will transmit movement through said cable such as will cause said brake to move to releasing position. Said spring motor will thereupon cause said flywheel to be rapidly rotated and said gear will cause intermittent engagement between said flywheel and diaphragm projection to produce a warning signal comprising a series of distinctive raucous blasts.

Brake governing mechanism is provided comprising a notched wheel driven concurrently with said gear and associated with said brake in such manner as will prevent the movement of said brake to its holding position when said flywheel is in diaphragm projection engaging position; to the end that the brake can be effective only when said projections are positioned to permit disengagement of said teeth from said diaphragm projection. This brake governing mechanism assures that, whenever the brake is released, the spring motor and the train may move to asubstantial extent, and thereby gain considerable momentum, before application of the load incidental to the first flywheel-diaphragm engagement.

Ordinarily the aforementioned brake device and cable arrangement is such that the brake is moved to releasing position and allowed to there remain until the entire useful energy in the spring motor is expended; however, if desirable the arrange-. ment may be such that the brake remains in released position only during a period substantially co-extensive with the time during which there is displacement or manipulation of the safeguarded equipment, thereby conserving the motor spring energy so as to provide for effective signaling incidental to number of subsequent safeguarded equipment manipulations.

For the purpose of facilitating comprehension of this invention and what are considered to be its novel characteristics, an embodiment thereof is to be safetion may assume; wherefore the invention is not confined to any particular degree of conformity with the more or less diagrammatic representation of the drawings but may modified in various particulars so long as such changes and modifications make no material departures from the invention as more particularly set forth in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings, like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views in which Figure l is a front view of a warning signal embodying this invention as applied toa fire alarm signal station;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the signal of Fig 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the signal of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the signal of Figs. 1, 2 and 3; certain parts being omitted in the interests of clearness and other parts being broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a view, partly in section, more clearly indicating details of construction of certain of the parts indicated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a distorted isometric view of the mechanism of the signal of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, including the parts shown in Figs. 4 and 5, in which axial displacements have been increasedin the interests of clarity;

Figs. 7 and 8 show details to be referred to; and

Fig. 9 shows a modification to be referred to.

A conventional fire alarm signal station or box B is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. This box has a handle 50 which, when pulled downwardly, will initiate activity of signaling mechanism associated therewith for the purpose of transmitting signalsto a flre brigade or department to summon aid therefrom.

The casing of a warning signal S embodying this invention is shown mounted on the top of the fire alarm box B.

A bell crank 52 is pivoted at 54 and has one leg 68 thereof extending in a substantially horizontal direction in the path of downward movement of the handle 50, so as to be rotated in a counterclockwisedirection about pivot 54 whenever said handle is moved to a position for causing signal transmission.

A depending leg 58 of said bell crank lies wholly within a trip mechanism casing T, and moves with the leg 58 for causing activity of the warning signal as hereinafter more fully explained.

A control cable C extends from the trip mechanism casing T through the box B to the warning signal S. The portion of the cable extending between the box B and the warning signal S is enclosed in a protective tubing or pipe P which is firmly secured in the top of the box B (as by a threaded or a press fit" connection) and extends through the casing of the warning signal S.

The cable C comprises an outer casing or sheath 80 and an inner plunger 82 freely slidable therethrough. One end of said casing is firmly secured at a fastening 66 tothe trip mechanism casing T, and the other end of said casing is firmly secured, as at a fastening 64 (Fig. 6), within the warningsignal 8.

One end of the plunger 62 is associated with the leg 58 of the bell crank 52 so that said plunger will be moved through said casing responsive to rotation of said bell crank. Said association is such as to facilitate adjustment of the relationship between said bell crank and said plunger; a threaded connection between the free end of said plunger and said leg having been found to be a desirable means of association. The other be changed and.

end of the plunger 62 is associated with the signal mechanism S, as hereinafter more fully explained.

For a detailed description of the warning signal S, reference is had to Fig. 4 in which a sound chamber or end member 10 is shown as comprising a reverberatory chamber 12 and an orifice 14, the lower end of which orifice communicates with the outside atmosphere. A number of struts or ribs 16, 16 (see also Fig. 3) are situated in this orifice for the purpose of structural reinforce- 20 A diaphragm 82 is clamped to the member 10 by means of a clamping ring 84, in such position that said diaphragm covers the opening 18 and the recess 80. The ring 84 is secured to the member by screws such as 88, 90 and 92.

It will be noted that certain of the screws, such as 60, 92 have threaded openings in the heads thereof (indicated by dotted lines) for receiving mechanism supporting screws such as '94, 96 which, in turn, have threaded openings in the heads thereof for receiving mechanism attaching screws such as 98, I00. A frame plate I02 is clamped to mechanism supporting screws 94, 96, by mechanism attaching screws 98,100 in such manner that the spacing of said plate from'the diaphragm 82 may be readily adjusted by rotating the supporting screws, in 'one direction or the other while the attaching 8 screws are temporarily loosened.

position exposing said opening.

A second frame plate I 04 is spaced from the plate I02 by posts or pillars such as I06, I08 which are affixed thereto and are secured to the plate I02 by screws such as I I0, II2.

A housing or casing H4 is secured to the ring 84, as by screws II6 (see also Figs. 2 and 3) and said casing carries in an opening therethrough a bearing 8 for a shaft which will be presently described. v

A cover I20 is secured to the casing II4 by means of a pivot stud I22, so that said cover may normally close the opening in which the bearing II8'is secured but may be moved to a It will be observed that the ring 84-does not fully cover the adjacent face of the member 10, and that the edge of the casing II4 which surrounds said ring forms a snug joint with said adjacent chamber face.

A main shaft I24 has an end I26 thereof journaled. in said bearing I I8 and the-other end thereof journaled in frameplates I02 and I04, as best shown in Fig. 5.

The end I26 of the main shaft I24 has a polygonal'opening I28 formed therein, as best shown in Figs. 5 and 6, for receiving a correspondingly formed end I 30 of a winding key I32.

A sleeve I34 is fixed upon the shaft I24 by means of. a stud I36; the head of which stud serves for attachment of the inner end of a main spring I38. Said sleeveextends along said shaft I24 from the edge of the spring I38 farthest from the frame plate I04 towards said frame plate to a point somewhat beyond the stud I36; however, such sleeve does not extend to the opposite edge of said spring.

A disc I39 is loosely supported by the shaft I24 between the bearing. H8 and the sleeve I34 for preventing distortion of the convolutions of said spring I38 during winding and unwinding.

A bushing I40 extends from the sleeve I34 to said plate I04; a portion thereof situated within the spring I38 being of somewhat smaller diameter than the sleeve I34, so as to be at all times free from said spring. I

Said bushing I40 is journaled upon said shaft I24 for rotation independently thereof, and said bushing has fixed thereon a spring guard member I42, a notched disc I44, and a gear I46; said spring guard member, disc and gear being further secured against relative rotation by means of a dowel pin I48 which is indicated in Fig. 6 as consisting of a rod.

The bushing I40, in cooperation with the sleeve I34, serves to limit axial movement of the shaft I24 such as would carry the spring I38 toward the frame plate I04. Axial movement of said shaft in the other direction is limited by a bifurcated member I50 (best shown in Fig. 7) which is situated in a groove I52 and which has a turned-over end thereof I54 projecting into an opening provided therefor in the plate I04. Such member I50 permits free rotation of said shaft I24, while suitably limiting the axial movement thereof such as would carry the spring I38 away from the frame plate'I04.

A wire spring I56 is coiled around a portion of the shaft I24 situated between the plates I02 and I04; an end of said spring being secured to the plate I02 by means of the screw I58 and nut I60. The application of this coiled wire is such as to provide a friction clutch which resists rotation of said shaft I24-in a direction which would permit unwinding of the spring I38 while permitting such rotation in a direction tending to wind the spring I 38. v

The outer end of the spring I38, is connected to the member I 42 (as best indicated in Figs. 4 and 6) so as to act through said member I42 and gear I 46 to drive a train of gears. Such gear train consists .of the gear I46 meshing with a pinion I62 on a shaft I64, a gear I66 on said shaft I64 meshing with a pinion I68 on a shaft I10, and a gear I12 on said shaft I10 meshing with a pinion I14 secured to a shaft I16.

The shafts I64, I10 and I16 are journaled in the frame plates I 02 and I04; said shaft I16, and the parts carried thereby, being so formed and arranged as to permit both rotational and axial movement of said shaft, for the purpose which will be hereinafter more fully explained.

A flywheel I18 is fixed upon the shaft I16 and carries a circular series of projections I80. A tooth or projection I82 is fixed upon the diaphragm 82 and substantially concentric therewith; the relationship between said tooth I82 and the flywheel projections I80 being such that said tooth will be situated in the path of the rotation of said projections when the shaft I16 is axially moved toward said diaphragm.

A series of projections or basses I84, I84, I84, I84 are carried by the gear I46 in such relationship to the shaft' I 16 that, during rotation of said gear, said bosses will be carried past that end of said shaft I16 situated farthest from said diaphragm.

During. assembly, the adjusting screws (such as 94,- 86) are so set and clamped by the attaching screws 98, I00 as to space the gear I46 from the tooth I82a distance such that, when the parts are assembled as hereinbefore described and said bosses are carried past the end of said shaft I16 in the course of the rotation of said gear I46,

. movement of said shaft I18 to eflect suitable eneach boss will engage and cause sufficient axial gagement between theprojections I88 and the tooth I82 whereby to cause actuation of the diaphragm 82 and the generation of sound waves thereby; said spacing also being such as to permit rotation of the flywheel I18 without bringing any of the projections I88 into engagement with the tooth I82 when none of the bosses I84, I84, I84, I84 are in the path of the end of the shaft I18.

For reasons well understood by those skilled in this art, the tooth I82 and the projections I88 should be of wear-resisting material. In order that the flywheel I18 may readily be so produced as to prov de wear-resisting surfaces for the projections I88 and, at the same time, have adequate mass in compact form, it has been found desirable to construct the central portion or web of said wheel, as well as the projections I88, of hardened steel, and to apply thereto a rim 188 (best shown in Fig. 4) of comparatively heavy material, such as lead, which may be readily machined for true balancing of the flywheel.

A brake member I98 is loosely pivoted upon the shaft I84 and has afilxed thereto,'at one side of said shaft, a brake shoe I92 for engaging the periphery of the flywheel I18 and, at the opposite side of said shaft, has a projecting arm I94.

A brake toggle piece I98 is pivotally mounted on a shaft I98 (see Figs. 6 and 8) and is operatively connected with the free end of the arm I94 of the brake member I98 by a ball-tenon and socket connection 288.

An over-center spring 282 is so applied to the toggle piece I98 as to tend to retain same in a position which causes the brake shoe I82 to be applied to the periphery of the flywheel I18 and also to retain same in another position causing said shoe to be withdrawn from said periphery.

A tracer 284 cooperates with the periphery of the notched disc I44 and is so associated with said toggle I88 as to permit movement thereof such as will carry the shoe I82 into engagement with the periphery of the flywheel I18 only when a notch in said disc I44 is presented to said tracer A pn 288 carried by the toggle I88 engages a terminal member 288 which is secured to the plunger 82 of the control cable C adjacent the fastening 84.

' Operation The operation of the warning signal thus far .82 of the cable C as to swing the toggle I98 around the shaft I88 to a position which will cause the brake member I98 to withdraw the shoe I 92 from engagement 'with the periphery of the flywheel I18. The spring 282 will be then so applied as to tend to retain the toggle member I98 in its revised position.

When the mechanism has thus been released, the gear train will run, rapidly accelerating the speed of the flywheel I18, until one of the projections I84 is carried by the gear I48 into engagement with-the end of the shaft I16. Such engagement will move said shaft axially and cause the projections I88 to engage the tooth I82 and vibrate the diaphragm 82, whereupon sound waves will be generated.

The resultant sound as emitted from the oriflce I4 will be of an unusual, distinctive and attention-attracting character efiected by the moving of the projections I88 into engaging relation with the tooth I82, the slight deceleration of the flywheel I18 due to such engagement, and the ensuring withdrawal of said projections fromengagement with said tooth incidental to withdrawal of projection I84 from the rounded end of the shaft I18.

From the foregoing it is evident that the mechanism will continue to operate as indicated, until the power of the spring I88 is substantially exhausted, thereby producing a series of blasts each of which will have strikingly distinctive characteristics for the reasons just explained.

When it is desired to restore the parts for further operation, the bell crank 52 should be moved to its normal position, thus tending to swing the toggle I88 to a position which will cause the shoe I92 to be brought into arresting engagement with the periphery of the flywheel I18.

Ii, at such time, one of the notches formed in the disc I44 is presented to the tracer 284, said shoe may be brought into eflective restraining relationship with said flywheel I18. Otherwise, such relationship cannot spring I88 has been sufficiently rewound to rotatethe parts, so that none of the projections I84 will engage the shaft notches formed in the disc I44 will be presented to the tracer 284 and the toggle I88 will be permitted to move to a position where the spring 282 will cause it to act through the member I88 to maintain the shoe I92'in restraining relationship to the flywheel I18.

For the purpose of rewinding the spring I88,

Modification of Fig. 9

I18, whereupon one of the be attained until the If it is desired that the warning signal shall 7 sound only so long as the safeguarded movable part is displaced, provision should be made forautomatically reapplying the brake shoe I92 to.

the flywheel I18 when such .movable member has been returned to its normal position. For this purpose, a spring, may be so applied as to constantly urge movement of the brake member I98 toward effective position. This may be accomplished as indicated in Fig. 9 where the spring 228 is so applied to the bell crank leg 88' as to tend to restore said bell crank to normal position whenever the handle 58 has returned to its normal position after having been moved to a position which has caused release of the warning signal.

Thecperation of the signal when constructed in accordance with the modification of Fig. 9 is the same as that hereinbefore described except that, whenever the handle 88 is restored to its normal position, the spring 228 will urge movement of the brake member I98, acting through the bell crank 52, the cable plunger 82, the pin 288 and the toggle I98 to cause the shoe I82 to be moved toward the flywheel I18; to the end that, when a notch in the disc I44 is next many alternative arrangements of' parts which -may be made for meeting the diverse service problems for-the solution of which this invention is suited.

The noise producing mechanism itself apart from the combination herein, claimed, is claimed in a divisional application, Serial No. 278,460, filed June 10, 1939.

We claim:

1. In combination with a conventional alarm box including manually operable means accessible to the public for transmitting a signal, an enclosed noise-producing mechanism mounted externally of the box and in proximity thereto, said noise-producing -mechanism embracing a metal diaphragm and means for vibrating said diaphragm to produce a noise of substantial intensity, connections between the manually operable means and the noise-producing mechanism to operate the latter whenever the box is operated to transmit a signal'and means for completcly enclosing said connections to render them inaccessible and to prevent disabling of the noise-producing mechanism.

2. In combination with a conventional alarm box including manually operable means accessible to the public for transmitting a signal, an enclosed noise-producing mechanism attached to the box externally thereof, said noise-producing mechanism embracing a metal diaphragm and means for intermittently vibrating said diaphragm to produce a series of noises of substantial intensity, a flexible cable connecting the manually operable means and the noise-producing mechanism to operate the latter whenever the box is operated to transmit a signal, and means for enclosing the cable throughout its length to render it inaccessible and to prevent" disabling of the noise-producing mechanism.

3. In combination with a conventional alarm box including manually operable means accessible to the public for transmitting a signal, an

enclosed noise-producing mechanism attached to the box externally thereof, said noise-produc ing mechanism embracing a metal diaphragm and means for vibrating said diaphragm to produce a noise of substantial intensity, a flexible cable connecting the manually operable means and the noise-producing mechanism to operate the latter whenever the box is operated to transmit a signal, said cable being inaccessibly enclosed at both ends by the box and by the noiseproducing mechanism, and means enclosing the cable between the box and the noise-producing mechanism to prevent tampering therewith.

4. In combination with a conventional alarm .box including manually operable means accessible to the public for transmitting a signal, an enclosed noise-producing mechanism attached to the box externally thereof, said noise-producing mechanism embracing a metal diaphragm and normally wound spring means for vibrating said diaphragm to produce a noise of substantial intensity, a detent normally preventing operation of the noise-producing mechanism, connections between the manually operable means and the detent to release the latter whenever the box is operated to transmit a signal, and means for completely enclosing said connections to render them inaccessible and to prevent disabling of the noise-producing mechanism.

5. In combination with a conventional alarm box including manually operable means accessible to the public for transmitting a signal, an enclosed noise-producing mechanism attached to the box externally thereof, said noise-producing mechanism embracing a metal diaphragm and normally wound spring means for intermittently vibrating said diaphragm to produce a series of noises of substantial intensity,'-a detent normally preventing operation of the noise-producing mechanism, a flexible cable betweenthe manual- 1y operable means and the detent to release the 

